Day 4 of 40 Days to Passover and Resurrection Weekend

Read Genesis 22:1-19, the story of Abraham’s testing and his prophetic statement that “God would provide for Himself a lamb.”

I like sheep even though I had to round up a few live ones a couple of times when I was a kid.  I especially like little lambs.  They are just so cute, so fluffy, so innocent looking.  I have started a collection of them.  Like I need another collection.  

When I think of lambs, my thoughts go to the Old Testament.  The Hebrew people were mostly shepherds of sheep.  And their history begins with Abraham.

Abraham’s story is so intriguing.

The Bible tells us about an old man who left most of his family and all that was familiar to wander an unknown land the rest of his life.   Just because God told him to.

Abraham received and believed some of the most amazing promises.  His life became an example of faith.  What does it really mean to trust God when you don’t understand the what or the why but you trust the Who?

Abraham’s story begins in Genesis chapter 12.

God’s promise to Abraham didn’t always come quickly to fulfillment.  Some did not come to pass in his lifetime.  And I wonder how he kept the faith?

Sometime in his early 80’s, Abraham was promised that he would have a son and that all of the world would be blessed because of his seed.   It wasn’t until Abraham was 100 years old that the promised son, Isaac, was born.  A long time to hold a promise close to his heart.

Our “40 Days to Passover and Resurrection Weekend” challenge today is reading about God’s extreme command for Abraham to offer God’s promise on the altar of sacrifice.  It connects us to the story of Jesus Christ in the New Testament.

It was a hard command Abraham heard.  Even more difficult to act upon.  We know the ending to the story, but Abraham carried his heavy heart up the mountain along with the wood and the fire.  I cannot even imagine.

A most profound and prophetic statement is spoken by Abraham before he knows the end of this story.  Somehow his faith kept him under the darkest of circumstances.  When Isaac asked about the sacrifice, the offering they would give, Abraham’s lips moved as the Holy Spirit filled his mouth and he said: 

 “God Himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.”  

The word here for “God” in Hebrew is Elohim, the Creator and Judge.  This is the One who created the plan of salvation from the very beginning; the One who must judge sin because He is righteous and holy; the One who would provide His own sacrificial Lamb because we can never, ever, ever measure up.

This is the God who promised a Savior, a Lamb who would take away the sin of the world.  Hallelujah!

Though the fulfillment of the promise was long in coming, it came!

I have some promises I am holding on to with all my heart.  Yet I may not see all of God’s promises completed and fulfilled in my lifetime.  It is mine to trust the One who made the promise until it comes to be.  And what He says He will do.

 

It’s not too late for you to join us on this journey.  Jump right in.

If you would like to download a copy of the “40 Days to Passover and Resurrection Weekend, please do so.  And let us know you are journeying with us.

40 days to Passover download